Tonto Apaches Field Top Track Team

The athletes who participate on the Tonto Apache track team bested 90 other groups of athletes to finish in fourth place at the 41st Annual Phoenix Invitational Track Meet April 2 and 3 at Glendale Community College.

The young people competed with 94 track clubs from around the United States.

Courtesy photo

Keisha Waterman is one of the Tonto Apache track team's brightest
stars this season.

"Our kids did a super job," said Coach B.J. Winchester.

At the end of the first day, the Tonto Apaches were in 18th place.

"After half-way through the second day, some of our kids started to make their move, and we jumped from 18th place to seventh place." Winchester said.

By the end of the meet, the Tonto Apaches finished in fourth place.

"The big reason was, for example, Keisha Waterman, in the IG age group," Winchester said. "This was her first track meet ever, and she walked into the shot-put ring, and unleashed a gold-medal throw right off the bat.

"I have been trying to get her to join our track team for the past four years.

"The first time she came to practice at the age of around 11 or 12 years old, she was tying the state record in the shot-put."

Keisha's brother, Kevin, also is a strong athlete in the YB age group in shot-put and discus.

The coach's son, Alex, is becoming a contender, he said.

"When asked to pick it up for the team, he did," Winchester said. "He walked over to the discus ring and unleashed a gold-medal throw also. We needed the points."

In the bantam boys division, Hunter Doka was competing against around 36 throwers, and the top thrower from 3M Track Club in California.

"Hunter ended up finishing in sixth place in the shot-put, where I knew it seemed to him he was in the land of the giants," the coach said.